Lock-sealed envelope



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M. H. FLAHER TY. LOCK SEALED ENVELOPE.- APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I920Patentd J uly 4, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I N VENTOR,

A TTORN E Y.

Patented July 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR M H Fiakerfy ATTORNEY.

arer entice.

LOCK-SEALED ENVELOPE.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed May 26, 1920. Serial No. 384,388.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that MICHAEL H. FLAHERTY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLock-Sealed Envelopes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a lock sealed envelope, and the object is toprovide certain novel meanswhereby the inspection. of the contents of anenvelope by an unauthorized person may be prevented.

A further object is to provide, in one form of device, an element whichshall be provided with tongues extending therefrom, to be secured byadhesive material to the usual flap of the envelope, and to otherportions of the envelope including the rear wall thereof.

A still further object is to provide, in another form of the device, anenvelope the closing flap of which shall be formed with a tongue adaptedto be passed through a slot in the rear wall of the envelope and to besecured by adhesive material to the inner side of the rear wall and tothe end flaps of the envelopes, this tongueand the adjacent portion'ofthe flap first named receiving, if desired, the embossed stamp usuallyemployed on stamped envelopes issued by the Post Office Department.

A still further object is to provide for the sealing of the tongue ortongues extending from the closing flap of the envelope or from aseparate stamp, on both sides of. said tongue or tongues.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists inthe novel construction or formation of the various elements and in themanner of assembling the elements, as will be more fully described andclaimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the envelope sealed by the use of the securingdevice first described, and ready for mailing.

Figure 2 is a view showing the stamp or securing device partly inserted.

Figure 3 shows this envelope with the closing flap in the positionassumed before tongues connected with the folding down'and sealing,a-portion of the rear wall of the envelope being broken awav, 101"showing the overlapping end flaps. I

1* igure 4 1s a plan view of the blank from which this envelope is made.

Figure 5 is a view of another form in which three sealing tongues areemploved. the central tongue being ready to enter the slot providedtherefor, and the other tongues being free.

Figure 6 illustrates a form'employing a separate stamp having fourtongues adapted to cooperate with four slots in the envelope.

Figure 7 shows this form sealing device, detached.

Figure 8 shows a further modification in which the single sealing tongueis connected directly with the closing flap.

Figure 9 shows the use closing flap. Figure 10 shows the stamp of thefirst form, detached.

In carrying out my invention I employ an of three sealing of stamp, or

envelope which may be sealed withor without a stamp, and in any eventthe usual closmg flap is sealed as the first step in the operatlon. Theaddress is preferably writ-ten on the side on which the envelope issealed and stamped, in order that it may be apparent at once if anyattempt is made to interfere with the sealing devices. The end flaps 10and 12 preferably overlap, the blank for the envelope being therefore ofapproxi mately the form shown in Figure 4. in which the front w'all orsection is designated 14. the rear wall or section is designated 15, andthe usual sealing flap or closing flap is designated 17. The outer edgeof rear wall 15 is turned over as indicated at 16. This element 15 isprovided with slots 18 and 19, and a slot 20 is formed in flap 17.

The stamp is of the form shown in Figure 10, and includes a centralportion 21 on which the stamp per se is printed or embossed, the elementalso including tongues 22 and 23 for cooperation with the aforesaidflap.

In Figure 1 I have shown an envelope of this form also provided withperforations at 24 and 25, and it is obvious that these perforations maybe used in any form of the device.

The stamp is provided with a coating of adhesive material on both sides,and is further provided with slots22 and 23 and with apertures 26 and 27at the ends of the respective tongues. V The envelope is first sealed inthe usual manner-that is by closing the flap 17 and sealing it. Thespecial stamp provided for the purpose is then applied. By using thenar-.

row blade of a small penknife the lower -tongue23 is passed through slot19, by

causing the point of the blade to engage the end of the tongue at theapertured portion thereof, it being understood that the device maybeused without the aperture previously punched, ifdesired. The blade ofthe knife is-then moistened and passed through slot 22' for sealing theunder side of tongu 23. The blade being withdrawn, the upper side of thetongue 23 may be sealed in a similar manner. The upper tongue 22 issecured in a like'manner, and the triple sealing operatlon is completed.

In the form shownln Flgure 5 the usual sealing or closing flap 30 isprovided with a v tongue 3lhaving a slot 32 therein, that portion ofthetongue abovereferred to being adapted to carry a stamp, ifdesired. Astamp'may however be employed independently. The end of the tongueentersthe slot 35 in the rear wall of the envelope, and is secured inthemanner previously described. Tongues 33 and 3et extend laterally "fromthe tongue 31 and are provided with slots '33 and 34:, the tongues beingadaptedto enter slots 36in the rearwall.

In thflt fOIIl] of the device shown in Figures (land 7 the stamp 38 isprovided with four tongues 3.9 for cooperation with the four slots-40located as shown. Two of these slots are. in the usual flap of theenvelope, and the othertwo are in the rear wall thereof. The tongues,are sealed on both sides in the manner previously described.

A further form of the device, which is especially useful and desirable,because of its simplicity and e'fliciency, is shown in Figure '8. Theusual closing flap of the envelope .is provided with a tongue 42 havinga coating of adhesive material on both sides thereof and having a slot43 therein. Thestamp islocatedas shown, and the paper'inay be foldedalong the line designated 44, to permit easy insertion of the tongue.

In Figure 9 I haveshown a form in Which the usual closing flap isprovided with three tongues 46, 47 and 48, each provided with atransverse slot, and having a coating of ad 1. An envelope having a slotthrough a.

wall thereof, a sealing meinberforwa closure flap of the envelopeinsertable through said slot and contain ng an application of adhesivefor disposition within the envelope, said a sealing member having a slottherethrough to remain exposed and unobstructed. exteriorly of theenvelope when the latter'is closed to facilitate application of amoisten- 1ng means therethrough to said adhesive.

2. An envelope having a first and a second wall, said first wall havinga slot therethrough,a sealing member fora closure flap of the closureenvelope insertable through said slot and containing an application ofadhesive for disposition within the envelope facing the second wall,said sealing member having a slot therethrough to remain exposed andunobstructed exteriorly of the envelope when the flap is closed tofacilitate application of a moistening means therethrough to saidadhesive.

In testimony whereo-f I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- MICHAEL H. FLAHERTY.

Witnesses: 7 g

- Gnonen 'H. ALBRECHT,

WILLIAM COLEMAN.

